Thread: Shaving off 8K

Wow! I got a reply from Lynn! Second time this has happened. I better mark this down. I feel special now. Oh, I know, Its because its my B-day.

Thanks Lynn.
And all that have replied!
Hoping to learn this honing bit the correct way as fast as I can. But don't we all.

My guess is that there is a geometry issue with the razor that is why you see the bevel is wider in not spot and not the other. That may not be correct just my novice 2 cents.
Does the blade sit flat on the hone?
If not then you may have to do some modifications like people do with the gold dollars. Again I'm learning something new with honing all the time I may not be 100% just bouncing ideas. Great quality pics though.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I like the idea of shaving off of each level. That does sound like a good way to learn/feel the differences. Thanks Utopian for that. I just don't want to hack my face up in this learning stage. Well, at least not hack my face as much as I can keep from it. ha.

If you honed the razor properly, you should get a decent shave off of a 1k edge. If you "hack" your face, then you're doing something wrong. You may be surprised at how well it works.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I have another ZY razor that I'll start with a bevel set and give that a go. I think I'm doing ok with each progression but of course I know I'm not perfect yet. Here's pics of 1K. 4K, 8K. I noticed the 1K still has some chips in it. So I guess that would not do.

Yup. The key to a good shave starts from the bevel set. If those chips are there after the 1k, the odds of you getting rid of them on higher grit hones are pretty low.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I tried to get the pic of the same spot in the blade every time.

Good job on that. It really helps to see the true progression that way.
An easy way to accomplish it is to put a sharpie mark on the belly of the blade close to, but not on, the bevel.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Also the edge get thinner towards the middle of the blade then wider again at the tip. You can see it getting thinner in the pics. But the bevels have met. Should I hone more and more to try to correct this? I didn't know if this was right or could be done.

As long as the bevels meet, you're good. One way or another, the honing stroke that you did does not match the one done previously to make the original bevel. If you want to "correct it," you will have to alter your honing stroke to flatten out that part of the bevel farther. It's not really necessary to do that though.

Well it sounds like im at least going the right direction. Maybe i should have spent a little more time on the 1k. Although when i finished with the 4k the chip was gone. Maybe i just got lucky. Ill watch for this better on the next one. Ill start on it here in an hour.
I use a sweeping X stroke when honing. Hope that explains it. Might have to watch a couple more vids on honing strokes. I figured i needed to know one stroke that will work with smilling and straight edges.

Originally Posted by Gasman

Also the edge get thinner towards the middle of the blade then wider again at the tip. You can see it getting thinner in the pics. But the bevels have met. Should I hone more and more to try to correct this? I didn't know if this was right or could be done.

I don't know if it is most, but many razors will have variance in the width of the bevel. This is due to the variation in the spine/bevel when they made the thing. No need to correct AFAIC.

When I first got into this I had a Norton 4/8 and a Shapton pro (Japanese not supposed to be exported) So I used the 12k because I had it. Randydance told me to shave at the 8k level because then I would know that I was ready to move on up to the 12k. If I went up prematurely I might still get the same edge after all was said and done, but I'd work a lot harder, and waste 12k doing what I should have done at 8k.

I was surprised at how good the shaves were at 8k. Truth be told, if I had stopped there, and never bought another hone, I'd have still been fine and saved a bucket full of money, but going through all those hones was a lot of fun.

I've never shaved off of a 1k or a 4k, and I don't intend to. If you do it let me know how it feels, I'd rather find out second hand.

It may just be a photographic artifact, but I just noticed that the 8k photo may be showing that the bevel is not reaching the edge on the right side of the blade. The reflection pattern of the bevel leaves the edge on that side of the photo.

Originally Posted by Utopian

It may just be a photographic artifact, but I just noticed that the 8k photo may be showing that the bevel is not reaching the edge on the right side of the blade. The reflection pattern of the bevel leaves the edge on that side of the photo.

That is possible. It could be the refletion of the light or not light. I'll have to check on that one.

I've spent the last 2 hours trying to get the bevel set on this Second ZY razor I have. I'll show 2 pics now. One before I touched it. Yikes! And the next after 2 hours on the 1K. It still wont pass the TPT.??? And barely cuts hair on my arm. I've went at this thing in many patterns on the hone. Started with+ preassure and slury to blade onlt presure and straight water. Its just not agreeing. It looks great under the microscope but its telling me the edges havent met. I know ive taken away metel on both side so I cant emagine the edjes have met.

I was think to go to the 4k and see if it will turn up some more but dont know if this is right. I've Killed the edge a couple times too while on the 1K to see if that would help and still no go.???

Yikes!


After 2 hrs


Opinions?
I mean look at that 1K bevel. Its a beauty but wont cut hair at all.

Have you looked straight down at the edge? If it won't cut hair, I'm thinking the edges aren't meeting yet.

That x stroke of yours does not look like mine. I keep my blade straight 90 degrees to the stone and then while keeping the 90 degrees i pull down and across the stone, so that when I am at the end of the stroke my tip is the only thing touching the stone. Turn it around and do the same thing the other way. Someone has the technique as their avatar but I can't remember who it is.

Figued it out I think. I've been honing away for 2 hours on 1K on the same piece of tape.

This is causing my bevel to get wider and not staying in contact with the edge.
I know better than this. Sorry all.
As far as MY X stroke. Its done with the heal leading and a bit of a swoop at the end to make the toe catch up just a bit. More of a straight down the stone then a little off the edge. I'd do more standard X stroke but this razor has a bit of a stabilizer/shoulder/little sharp piece. Ha. So that the heal is just on the stone. If I go in an X then the heal is only on the stone for for very little time.

Hope that made sense.